Wood-treating plant



I@ n@ SQ v @N A Q mw/ wmv SXQQ Qu e Ill /N VEN 70;?

G, B. SHIPLEY WOOD TREATING PLANT Filed May 10 Feb. 'i9 19244.,

Feb; 119 1924.,

G. B. SHIPLEY WOOD TREATING PLANT Filed May lO 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 /N VEA/70%? WWA/5655s lFelo. i9 1924,

G. B. SHIPLEY WOOD TREATNG PLANT Filed May 10 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 retenue rea; ia, rara.

GUI* B. SHMY, 01E' PITTSBURGH, JPENNSYLVANIIA.

WOOD-TREATKNG FL.

- .application tiled may l0, 1929. Serial No. 559,@07.

To all whom t 'may concern:

llev it known that l, GRANT lB'. Snrrnnr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State. of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in lVood- Treating Plants, of which the following is a specification.

"his invention relates to an apparatus for treating wood or timber and particularry to an apparatus for treat-ing ties or other similar articles with antiseptic solution, such as creosote. zinc-chloride, or sodium fluoride.

The principal objects of the invent-ion are to provide a treating plz-int of the character referred to which will be economical to install, which will require the minimum power to operate, which will reduce the time ordinarily required for treating the timber thus resulting in an increased output, which will be seit1 contained, which will be eilicient in operation, and which will be adapted for carrying out either of the socalled ullf cell or empty-cell processes.

lt is a special object of the invention to provide a treating plant in which peak loads upon the several units employed will be obviated, the necessary power for operating the several units being stored gradually over a considerable period of time under efficient operating conditions, instead of overtaxing the said units during the comparatively short intervals of time while actually needed and then allowing the saine to remain idle overan extended period.

l'leretofore, in treating plants of this character, it has been the. practice to produce the necessary pressure required in the several tanks containing the preservative fluid as well as in the treating cylinder itself, by means ot direct-connectfl pumps of large capacity requiring a great amount of powerto operate, thus rendering the operation of the same 11n-economical, or by creating the necessary pressures by similar pumps which must necessarily be operated over au extended period of time, thereby reducing the output. of the. plant. lin plants employing processes involving the employmentof a vacuum or reduced pressure, it has also been the practice to create this vacuum or low pressure by means ot large and expensive direct-connected pumping Idevices, or by those of less capacity which are required to be operated tor longer periods.

that the preservative could not be introduced into the treating compartments at such a rate as to assure all portions of the niaterial being subjected to uniform treatment, hence resulting in an objectionable product because of its non-uniformity.

lt is still a further object of the invention to obviate the necessity oit pumping devices of extremely large capacity, and to enable economical pumpin devices of smaller capacity to be emp oyed in coinbination with pressure and vacuum storage tanks, in such manner that the time of treatment of a charge may be reduced to the minimum and in which the character of the treated product Will be substantially `uniform.

llt is still a further object to provide a wood treating plant utilizing pressure and vacuum tanks in combination with measur ing and treating cylinders so proportioned as to size that the desired pressures may be directly and quickly obtained in the measuring and treating compartments by merely establishing counication between them and the storage receptacles. p

@ther objects yot the invention are to provide a treating plant which will be selfcontained and one in which the vapors assing from the several compartments Wilbe condensed and treated in such a way that the same may be returned either directly to the treating cylinder or to suitable storage tanks provided for such purpose.

Still other ob'ects of the invention will readily appear rom the following descriptions when taken in connection with the ap-' pended claims.

lin the accompanying drawlngs, lhg. l is a diagrammatic plan view ot the preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2,

a diagrammatic side elevation of the form shown in )F ig. l; and Fig. 3, a diagrammatic end elevation ot the same;

lll() are connected by the conduit 7 having the interposed valves 8 and 9.

In order to furnish a supply of air under pressure, the air-storage tanks 10 and 11,

ysupplied by the air compressors 12 and 13 through pipes 14 and 15, are provided.

Suitable cut-off valves 16 and 17 are interposed in the pipe lines 14 and 15 so as to enable the pumps to be discontinued from the system should it become necessary, thesaid pipes discharging into the air storage tanks through the branches 18 and 19 of a pipe connecting the two storage tanks and provided with the valves 20, 21 and 22, so that by proper manipulation of the several valves either or both of the air storage tanks may be used, as desired. l

A branch pipe 23 provided with the valve 24 leads from the discharge pipe 14 into a manifold 25, and a similar branch pipe 26 provided with the control valve 27 leads from the discharge pipe 15 into the same manifold. Suitable cut-oii' valves` 28, 29 and 30 are located in the manifold 25. and interposed between the branch pipe 26 and valve 30 is a suitable pressure reducing valve 31,`a similar reducing valve 32 being dis,- posed between the branch pipe 23 andvalve 29. Extending from one end of the manifold 25 is a pipe 33 leading to the top of the 4pressure measuring tank 4, a control valve 34 Abeing interposed therein. Extending from the opposite end of the manifold is a pipe 35, having a control valve 36, which leads to the top of the oil-working tank, and also extending from the sameend of the manifold is a pipe 37 having theinterposed valves 38 and 39 which leads to the top of the treating cylinder, the pressure supply pipe 40 bein connected to the pipe 37 between the'vva ves 38 and 39.

Asecond manifold 41 is provided from which the pipes 42, 43 and 44 lead to the pressure measuring tank, treating cylinder, and oil-working tank, respectively, the manifold 'being equipped with the valves 45 and 46 andthe pipe 43 with the valve 47. The manifold 41 is also provided with a branch conduit 48, controlled by the valve 49. leadino' to the atmosphere.

e ixtending frommanifold 41 at a point intermediate the pipes 43 and 48 is a conduit 50 provided with the valve 51` which to the top of the treating leads to'a barometric condenser 52, the hot well of which is indicated at 53,.the condenser being equipped with the usual overflow and drain pipesshown at 54 and 55, respectively. The cooling water for the condenser is supplied through the pumps 55a having the usual suction conduit 55b and discharge line 55C.

is a vacuum tank 56, the tops of the condenser and vacuum tank being connected by the pipes 57 and 58, the latter of whichvis provided with the valve 59, and extending from the juncture of pipes 57 and 58 is a conduit- 60. which connects with the bra ch conduits 61 and 62 leading to the vacufm pumps 63 and 64, respectively, control valves 65 and 66 lbeing interposed inthe branch conduits.

The hot well 53 is provided with an overiiow pipe 67 which is tapped into a drain pipe 68 provided with the valve 69 leading from. the bottom of the vacuum tank to a settling pond or sump 70the sump being merely an open receptacle for receiving thc liquid collecting in the hot Well and the condensate collecting in the vacuum tank after continued use. The centrifugal pump 71 has its inlet pipe leading from the opposite end of the settling pond or sump and is adapted to discharge the contents thereof through discharge pipe 72 into the dewater ing tank 73.

Leading from the lower end of the den'atering tank is the suction conduit 74 of a centrifugal pump 75, the discharge line 76 of which is branched, the branch 77 leading to the conduit 7 connecting the bottoms of the treating cylinder and oilworking tank, while the branch 78 discharges into an oil storage ltank 79. The suction conduit 74 is provided-with the cutofi valves 80 vand 81 betweenwhich a pipe 82 having cut-oii` valves 83 and 84 extends,

being connected to the branch 78 as at S5; Suitable cut-oil' valves 86, 87 and 88are interposed in the branch conduits 77 and 78. and a branch pipe 89 having the cut-off valve 90 extends from the pipe 77 to the branch 78 between the valveg87 and the oil storage tank. In order to discharge the preservative directly from the pump 7 5 into the pressure measuring tank, a branch pipe 91 having a valve 92 is provided.v

In order to 'control the valve 59 from a point adjacent the pumps andtreating cylinder, the same is connected to a pressure actuated motor 96 to which pressure fluid from' the pipe 40 is supplied and exhausted through the conduits 97 and 98, the flow of the pressure fluid being controlled by a four-way cock indicated at 99, the pressure -inotor 96 .being merely a pressure cylinder with the usual piston and`functions in the well known way.

Located at one side of the condenser 52 maarre 12 and 13 to the air storage tanks 10 and 11, the normal pressure of the iuid in the` tanks being maintained at about 350 pounds pressure per square" inch, and the pumps 63 and 64 normally maintained a vacuum in the tank 56 amounting to about 24 or 26 inches of. mercury. rllhe pressure of the air from the storage tanks in passing the reducing valve 31 is lowered to about 200 pounds pressure per square' inch which is that ordinarily employed inthe pressure measuringtank for `forcing the preservative into the wood, While the pressure reducing valve 32 is adjusted to reduce the air pressure to about 60 to 100 pounds pressure perl square inch depending vupon the character ot the Wood or timber being treated.

The relative sizes of the air storage tanks 10 and 1,1 and that. of the pressure measuring tank 4 are so proportioned that when either of the air' storage tanks is put into communication with the measuring tank, due to the equalization ot the pressures therein, a resulting pressure will be obtained which will correspond to that required in the measuring tank to force themaximum quantity.

ot preservative into the charge of timber Within the treating cylinder. The size of the vacuum tank 52 is likewise so proportioned, that thel equalization of pressures within the said tank and treating cylinder will produce a resulting minimum loW pressure desired during the drying of the treated timber.

The apparatus and plant described is adapted tor carrying out the treatment of materials either by the so-called full-cell process or the empty-cell process. A

vln use, the pressure measuring tank ltand oil-Working tank 3 are first filled with the preservative with which the charge oit timer is tol be impregnated, the air storage tanks filled with compressed air to substantially 350 pounds pressure, and a vacuum of about 24 to 26 inches established in the vacuum tank 56. The charge of timber to be treated is thentplaced Within the treatin cylinder and the door 2 closed and seale in the usual mannerw The method of carrying out the full-cell process is as'follows:

ln order to introduce the preservative into the treating cylinder, the top of the treating cylinder is vented to the atmosphere by opening valves 47 and 49, and the valves 8 and 9 are opened to permit the preservative to How by gravity from the oil-working tank through the conduit 7 into the treating cylinder, the conduit 7 being of sufiicient slze to permit the treating cylinder to be lled quickly. After the treating cylinder has been completely filled with the preservative the valves 47, 49 and 8 are closed. rl`he valve 6 is then opened establishing communication between the pressure measuring tank and the treating cylinder, and high pressure fluid from either tank 10 or tank 11 is admitted above the preservative in the measuring tank by opening valve 34 and either -valve 27 or valve 24. rlhe air from the storage` tank is reduced in pressure in passing through reducing valve 31 to about 200 pounds per square inch, forcing the preservative from the pressure measuring tank into the treating cylinder under that pressure. As above pointed out the relative proportions of the air pressure tank and the measuring tank are such that upon equalization of the pressures within the said tanks, which equalization takes place almost iinmediately upon opening the valve 34, the maximum quantity of preservative desired will be forced into the charge of timber Within the treating cylinder. After the pressure in the said tanks has become equalized, and the preservative forced from the measuring tank to the treating cylinder, valves 34. and 6 are then closed.

Afterl the charge of timber has been thus treated by forcing additional preservative into the treating cylinder under pressure, the valve 46 on the atmospheric line 44 of the oil-working tank and the valve 8 in conduit 7 are again opened in order to-perm-it the kick-back ot Athe compressed air Within the timber to cause a back flow of the preservative from the treating cylinder through conduit 7 to theoil-Working tank. Before this back flow has been com leted by the kick-back action, the top o? the treating cylinder is put under air pressure Afrom the air storage tank by opening the valve 39 to permit the air to pass through pipe 37 to force all of the preservative from the treating cylinder to the oil-working tank, during such operation the oil-Working tank being continually vented to the atmosphere through the pipe 44 and valves 46 and 49, as

. above noted.

After all of the preservative has been discharged trom the treating cylinder in this manner all the valves previously opened are Y closed, and the treating cylinder put into which the charge of timber has been impregnated, resulting in a quick drying thereof. instead oit reducing the pressure Within the treating cylinder to the extreme minimum llO .Valve 59 is thenA closed and the pressure subsequently reduced from this point to the desired minimum of about 24 to 26 inches by the pumps 63 and 64 which are connected to the treating cylinde` by opening valves 65 and 66, the arrangement of valves being such as'to permit the use of one or both pumps as desired. After the pressure has been reduced to the desired minimum withinihe .treatingy cylinder, thc pumps are operated until the charge of timber has been sufficiently dried to be removed therefrom. Due to the fact that high pressure yfluid'is always available in the tanks 1() and 11,'and low vacuum available in the vacuum tank, the entire treatment of the charge may be performed within a very short period of time, the time required for impregnating the charge and for creating the vacuum wlthin the treatin cylinder ranging from 15 to 30@ minutes, W ereas in the usual practice in which the preservative is pumped `from the measuring tank tothe treating cylinder and the pressure within the treating cylinder reduced by pumping devices, the vtotal time consumed in the two operations being usually not less than 2 to 3 hours.

After the charge of timber has been treated in the abovemanner, the same is dis'-r charged from the treating cylinder through door 2, and a new charge placed therein 1n wthe usual well known manner.

ncarrying outV` the so-called emptycel process, after-the charge of timber has been placed within the treating cylinder and the same sealed, compressed air is introduced from the air storage tanks in both the tre ting cylinder and the oil-working tank b opening the valves 39 and 36, thus permitting the air at the pressure for which reducing valve 32 is adjusted to pass there to. The setting of valve 32 depends upon the character of the Wood being treated and usually varies from about to 100 pounds per square inch. After the treating cylinder and Working tank are filled with air, the valves 36 and 39 are closed. Communication' is then established 1between the tops of the oilworking tank and treating cylinder through pipes 43 and 44 and valves 46 and 47 and the preservative permitted -to iow by gravity vfrom the oil-working tank through the conduit 7 by openin valvev 8. After the treating cylinder has een completely filledw-ith preservative'in-f, this manner the several vvalves are closed, and the measuring tank put into communication withthe treating cylinder -by opening valve 6. Compressed ressure per square inch is then admitted a ove the preservative 1n The preservative is thus forced under pressure into the treating cylinder in the same manner as in the previously described fullcell process, and the Aremaining series of operations are identical to those previously set. forth in connection therewith. v

During the time the treating cylinder is placed under vacuum, any vapors of the preservative passing therefrom are condensed in the barometric condenser 52, the condensate collecting in the hot well 53. This condensate flows to the settling xpond or sump 7 0 from which it is withdrawn by the pump 71 and forced into the dewatering tank 73. *The` recovered preservative is withdrawn from the dewaterin -tank by means of the pump 75 and force either directly into the pil-storage tank 79 through pipes 76 and 78 for future use, or pumped back into the measuring tank and oll-working tank through pipe 77 and the branches leading therefrom to the said tanks.

The pump 75 may also be used for withdrawing. preservative from the oil-storage tank and forcing the same into the measuring and oil working tanks, if desired. This is accomplished by closing valves 90 and 86 and opening valves 87, 84,l 83 and 88, in which case the preservative will be drawn through pipes 78, 82and 74 into the pump 75 and discharged through the pipes 76 and 77.

- By' employing air storage'tanks, the desired pressure necessary for treating the charges of timber may be lmaintained by operating the small capacity pumps 12 and 13 over extended periods of time and under conditions most suitable to the plant as a whole, andthe necessary vacuum may be similarly maintained yby means of small vjecting the said umts or the/plant -to peak loads. Also, due to the fact that high-pressure air and? vacuum are available at all times, the time of treatment is reduced to ay minimum. Besides relieving the units and plantfrom operation at peakloads and reducing the time vof treatment, -hence increasingthe output of the plant, u e to the feeding ofthe preservative into the. treating cylinder quickly, alll ,y /rtions .of the timber-charges are subjec yto substantially the saine action from the cylinder, the'treated material, therefore, be# ing of substantiallyuniform character.

i v .reservative re? gardless of its location wit in the treatingV u is thus seen that the immuunv provides a plant which is comparatively free from complicated mechamsmaiis economical to install, 1s m'operation, possesses a large capacity, produces a 7 roduct which is' ing tank, the relative'slzes of, the air storage tank and measuring tank being such that the desired maximum pressure in thetreating cylinder may bel quickly obtained by causing equalization of the pressures, in the said tanks. f

2. A wood treating apparatus comprising a treating cylinder, a superposed oil working tank, a superposed measuring tank, condults connecting the oil-working and measuring tanks tothe treating` cylinder, an air treating cylinder may be ing .en

` storage tank, a conduit establishing communication between the storage tank and measuring tank, the relative sizes of the air storage tank and measuring tank being such that the desired maximum pressure within ythe uicklyobtained by causing ualization of t e pressures in the last name tanks.

3. A wood treating apparatus comprising a treating cylinder, a superposed oil-worktank, a measuring tank, disposed in one of the oil-working'tank2 a conduit connecting the bottoms o the o1l working tank and treating cylinder, a conduit leading from the bottom ot the measuring tank to the top oit the treating c linder, an air vstorage tank, a. conduit estab ishing communication between the storage tank and measuring tank, `the relative'sizes of the air stora tank and measuring tank being such that t e desired maximum pressure within the treatingl cylinder may be quickly :obtained by causing equalization of the 4 pressures within the last named tanks. Y,

4L. A wood treating apparatus comprising a treating cylinder, a superposed oil measuring tank, a conduit establishing communication between the measuring tank and treating cylinder, an air storage tank, a conduit lleading from the air storage tank to the measuring tank, the relative sizes of the air storage and measuring tanks being such that an equalization of pressures therein will ,are

result in the desired maximum pressure determined low pressuredesired thereinlf' j 5. A wood treating apparatus comprisingta Ane treating cylinder, a superposed oil-working tank, a superposed measuring tank, a conduit connectingth bottoms of the oil-workfv ing tank and treating cylinder, a conduit leading from the bottomof the measuring tank to the top of; the ltreating cylinder, an

air storage' tank connected to the'measuring tank, a vacuumv tank connected to the treating cylinder, and means to maintain the desired pressures in the said air storageV and vacuum tanks.V 6. wood treating -apparatusfcom rising atreating cylinder, a superposed oi working tank, a superposed measuring tank, a conduit connectin the. bottoms. of the oilworking tank an treatingjcylinder, a conduit leading from the bottom of the measuring tank 'to the top ofthe treatingcylinder,

an air storage tankconnected to the measury ing tank, a vacuum tank connected to .the treating cylinder, a condenser interposed between the treating cylinder and vacuum tank, and means to maintain the desired pressures in the said air storage and vacuum tanks. v

7. A wood treating apparatus comprising a treating cylinder, a superposed oil-working tank, a superposed measuring tank, conduits'connecting thetopsand bottoms respectively of said oil-working tan'k and treating cylinder, a pipe'. leading from the bottom of the measuring tank to the top of the treating cylinder, an air storage tankl connections between the air storagef'tank and the treating cylinder, oil-working tank and measuring tank, a vacuum tank, `a conduit leading from the treating cylinder to the vacuum tank, and means for maintaining the desired pressures within the air storage anin vacuum tank?i I testimon w ereo si my name.

" y enana* ninsnrrnnr.

Witnesses:

Jann B. M. R. Hemmer. t 

